


Cold Talks

by LuteStrings



Category: Persona 4, Persona 5
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:09:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27172234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuteStrings/pseuds/LuteStrings
Summary: Goro thinks he's found someone like him, that could give him useful information.Goro is wrong.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	Cold Talks

Goro's first impression was disappointment.

The man in front of him was messy. Or, well, not just messy, but he couldn't think of a strong-enough word. From his dishevled hair, to his slouched posture, off-centered prison clothes, and lopsided grin, the man exuded an aura of amateurish laziness. If Goro didn't know any better, he wouldn't have believed that the man was the person he'd asked to speak with. He'd asked for a serial killer, a man who had a body count, who had terrorised the small town of Inaba for close to a year.

But Goro knew full well that looks could be deceiving. And while the police force in Inaba may have been content to just write off the stranger details of the case as insanity, Goro suspected something more. Hence the meeting, which... well, was already irregular. The man had refused to speak to him at the prison, claiming he felt cooped up. It had taken him spending a few favours he had been saving up, paying off a few people to fudge some paperwork, and a call from the old bastard demanding to know what he was doing, but he'd managed to set up the meeting that the prisoner wanted, at an old empty ice rink.

A wave of his hand sent the paid-off policemen away. He'd have to deal with them later, subtly. But he had more important things to think about now.

"Tohru Adachi," he began, leaning forwards on the table. "Born February 1st, 1984. Graduated with honours, joined the police force, and-"

"Glad to know the famous Detective Prince can read," Adachi drawled, rolling his eyes. "Well, the second one, at least. What, do you lot just crawl out of the woodwork or something?"

Goro frowned, ignoring the jab. Focus, he told himself. Ask the questions, and then leave. "I want to know about the murders in Inaba. How did you do them?"

The prisoner snorted, turning to look over the empty rink. "You've clearly read my file, was there no note? Surely the great Detective Prince can read records. Otherwise you're really not living up to the last one, are you?"

"Will you-" He cut himself off, taking a deep breath, and ignored the way Adachi turned to stare at him with a grin. "I'm not trying to compare myself to Shirogane-"

"Which is why you're chasing up after his old cases, huh?"

Goro wondered if he could explain away a few bruises on the prisoner. Or a broken nose. It would make him feel so much better. He gritted his teeth, and stood. "If you're not going to be cooperative, then I might as well-"

"Do you skate?"

The question came so far out of left field that it left Goro taken aback. He blinked, anger vanishing into confusion as he shook his head. "Wha- no, I've never skated. Is that why you wanted to meet here?"

Adachi nodded, standing. "Used to go skating every now and then, as a kid. The old lady who ran the rink let me in for free, she was alright. Tell you what, you want to know what I know about that other world?" Goro nodded, and Adachi held out his cuffed wrists. "Skate with me, and I'll tell you."

Goro hesitated. On one hand, uncuffing a dangerous prisoner like Adachi was stupid, a breach of every regulation, and certainly the wrong move. But if he could provide more insight into the 'Metaverse'...

* * *

The boots fit weird, left Goro feeling off balance, and he'd already fallen on his ass twice. Adachi seemed to be loving the show, cackling as he slid along the frozen floor, hands behind his back. "Oh, wow, if your fans could see you now."

"Shut up," he growled, pushing himself onto his feet a third time, gripping onto the railing as he slowly pushed forwards.

"Ooh, shut up? My, you've got a way with words, haven't you?" Adachi laughed again, coming to a stop besides Goro. "So, ask away."

Right, questions. Why Goro was here in the first place. He sighed, clinging to the railing harder as he wobbled. "How did you discover the Metaverse?"

"Metaverse? That's what you call it?" He shrugged. "Accidentally threw the first girl, what was her name?" He paused, before shrugging again. "Doesn't matter, accidentally threw her in, and then a few days later she showed up dead."

That caught Goro's attention. So there were multiple ways to kill people with the Metaverse? Interesting, though ultimately useless, since his method already worked perfectly well. He opened his mouth to ask another question, before Adachi interrupted.

"Ah ah, you want more questions, get moving. Surely the Detective Prince can do more than cling to the wall like a child? I bet Shirogane coul-"

"Will you shut up about fucking Shirogane?!" Goro yelled, feeling his eye twitch. Adachi didn't seem phased, and even cackled.

"There we go! Finally, that perfect detective act was sickening." He slid around the edge of the rink, clapping. "God, just hearing you made me want to throw up."

Goro felt heat rise to his face in anger as his grip tightened, knuckles going white. "All I want are some answers, so could you please just-"

"Hah!" The exclamation cut him off - he was getting really sick of being cut off. "Let me guess, those 'mental shutdown' incidents I heard about on the news? Those were you? And you're wondering whether I know anything about all of this that you can use."

Goro turned to face him, still gripping against the railing as Adachi skated up to him. "But let me ask you something, detective," the prisoner said quietly. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"Of course," he said, glaring. "I'll do whatever it takes, to help my boss."

Adachi went silent, before leaning in. "Liar. That's all you are, I can tell. Right down to your rotten little core, you're just a liar."

"What, are you going to tell me I'm just like you?"

Adachi smiled. "Of course not, you're nothing like me. Or anyone. You're just nothing."

"You don't know me-"

"You lie about being a perfect detective, you lie about what you want, and you lie about who you are, you lie about everything. What's left, under all those lies?" He smiled, not a trace of humanity to be found in the expression. "And that other world, you want to know what it does to lies?"

Goro yelped as his fingers were pried off the railing, and he was pushed towards the centre of the rink. His arms cartwheeled, one foot slipping out from under him, and he crashed into the ice, skidding another few feet before he came to a stop, looking up at Adachi.

"It eats them up."

The prisoner turned and skated towards the exit of the rink, before undoing the skates. "I think I'm done now, detective. I want to go back to my cell. Good luck with everything." He turned, and gave Goro one last smile. "I'll see whatever's left of you on the news."


End file.
